24 proposals were submitted for the competition to regenerate Zlín Square

"The competitors will now have another two months to refine their proposals, after which the jury will meet once again to select the final ranking, including the winner. We expect that the results will be published before Christmas, and in January, an exhibition of all submitted proposals will be opened," said Mayor Miroslav Adámek (STAN).

The current appearance of Peace Square dates back to the late 1980s. According to the city hall, it no longer meets functional and aesthetic requirements. The reconstruction is therefore expected to be more modern and accommodating for hosting cultural and social events. The planned transformation will also affect greenery and restaurant patios; in cooperation with private investors, the city is also exploring the possibility of underground parking. "The result of the creation of new parking spaces could be the freeing up of the area in front of the church for a new park area," said Deputy Mayor Jiří Korec (ANO).

Peace Square forms a natural center of the city and is the site of the most significant events. It was previously named Main and Masaryk. The last significant change occurred in 2001 when sales booths were removed from the square.

According to the competition jury, the proposals are of high quality. "Only a public competition is a tool that allows the organizers to select from a broad spectrum of opinions. The actual realization is, of course, a matter of several more years," said Ivo Tuček, head of the urban planning department of the city hall. The costs for the transformation of the square are estimated to be in the tens of millions of crowns, so the work will likely be divided into several phases.

In addition to Peace Square, a public architectural competition is also being prepared for the so-called theater park, i.e., the area between Potoky Street and the Zlín City Theater, where construction was previously contemplated. "Based on the demands of the city council, city hall officials are developing the competition brief that would breathe new life into this currently bleak space. The presence of the theater should play a significant role here. The space could allow for the establishment of a temporary summer stage that could be used during summer festivals. The naming commission proposes naming this space after the first Czech President and playwright, Václav Havel," said the spokesman.